Angus & Coote armed robbery rocks Pacific Epping shopping centre shoppers
Terrified shoppers fleeing three hooded bandits were locked inside stores during an armed holdup at a jewellery store at Pacific Epping.
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Terrified shoppers fleeing three hooded bandits have been locked inside stores during an armed holdup at a jewellery store at Pacific Epping.
The trio raided the Angus & Coote store at Pacific Epping shopping centre just before 10am on Thursday, February 6, as frightened customers and staff retreated into nearby retailers.
It is believed the male offenders threatened staff at the jewellery store during the smash and grab style theft at the High St shopping centre before running away.
Sergeant Megan Stefanec said police were on scene but were yet to determine what had been stolen.
No arrests have been made.
A witness who was inside the Quality Pharmacy Medical Centre next door to Angus & Coote told the Leader the store’s owners immediately locked the back door to protect customers.
About 20 people were inside the store at the time.
“Some women came running into the chemist screaming Angus & Coote had been robbed so the staff went to lock the back doors straight away,” they said.
“It was pretty shocking for everyone involved, a few people were panicking.”
A staff member at a nearby store said nobody knew what was happening at first.
“We heard banging and then all of a sudden someone said it was a robbery,” the staff member said.
“We quickly shut the doors for protection.”
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“It all happened so fast.
“It was awful to see and experience, you don’t come to work thinking that’s going to happen.
“They could have had a gun and started shooting everywhere.”
She said they opened the store’s door again after about five minutes, once the crooks ran past and left the shopping centre.
She said police arrived about five minutes later.
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